Heartbeat
by zElliexmagic
Summary: His heartbeat was always so soothing. It always reassured her that he was alive and breathing. NaLu. Spoiler for chapter 468
**Hi! I would've gotten this up earlier, but my mom was like "Lauren! Let's go shopping! I gotta go to Target, then we'll go to Feldman's and Orchlan's to see if they have bunnies." And I'm like "Bunnies?! Count me in!" I wanna get a pet bunny so…lol! Anyway, spoiler alert for chapter 468. And I don't know what happens after the war with Zeref, obviously because it hasn't ended yet, so I pretended like it's over and everybody is okay because this is Fairy Tail we're talking about. They're not going to die…right?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

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Heartbeat

Lucy hugged Brandish tighter as she felt her tears hit her shoulder. The tighter she hugged, the more Lucy thought they'd both calm down. She knew watching her mother died would be pouring salt on an open wound – a _severe_ open wound – and she knew she would feel the same way if their roles were reversed.

"It may be a little late," Lucy started. She waited a few seconds to conceal the choke in her voice, but she was too early, "but maybe the two of us can be friends from now on…just like our mothers."

Aquarius watched them with a smile, "Lucy, there's one last thing I have to tell you."

Before she got the chance to explain, the door burst open, causing Lucy to jump from fright and let go of Brandish. She looked toward the door along with the two other girls to see a sobbing mess of a blue, injured cat.

"Hel…Please help me!" Happy screamed at the top of his lungs, terror in his voice, causing Lucy to worry.

"Happy…"

Happy stepped out of the way to reveal Lucy's favorite pink haired dragon slayer, lying tattered, bruised, and unconscious on the floor. His clothes were ripped and torn, hair messy, and she was pretty sure there was a new scar on his face.

"Natsu just passed out and stopped moving all of a sudden," Happy sobbed, "Someone, anyone, you have to save him!"

Lucy's eyes widened as she stopped breathing, her heart stopped beating, and her terror-filled eyes lie on Natsu's body. She had no idea what she was feeling, but she knew she did not like it one bit. No words came out of her mouth as she remained frozen, on her knees in front of Brandish and next to Aquarius. To her, however, the only people in the room were her and the unconscious dragon slayer. Her mind raced, thinking of endless possibilities that could be wrong, but she absolutely _refused_ to believe he was dead. _No!_ You just can't kill Natsu that easily! He has proved that many times! Even Zeref can't kill him that easily!

Suddenly, the door burst open again, breaking the deadly silence (except Happy's sobs), revealing Porlyusica with Cana in front.

"What's going on in here?!" Cana shouted, looking at them.

"You seemed to be in an awful hurry," Porlyusica said.

"Natsu…he fought with Zeref and…" Happy continued to sob, "We decided to temporarily retreat. And just without warning, he just…"

Lucy couldn't stand it anymore. She crawled over to Natsu, picked his head up into her arms, stared at his handsome face, and shouted, "Natsu! What's the matter?! Get a hold of yourself!" There is no way Natsu is dead…there is no way Natsu is dead…there is no way Natsu is dead…

Cana spoke to Aquarius, but Lucy couldn't hear them. Her thoughts, her eyes, her ears, were all focused on Natsu, listening to any sign that he was conscious – or becoming conscious – and willing him to wake up.

Lucy laid Natsu back down on the floor and pressed her cheek against his chest, "I can't hear his heartbeat!" She shouted as she moved her cheek back and forth, trying to get to a position where she could hear it…maybe she just couldn't hear it in that one spot…maybe…

His heartbeat was always so soothing. At night, when he and Happy would break into her house and fall asleep next to her on her bed, sometimes she would inch her way closer to Natsu, make sure he was asleep, and lay her head against his chest. His heartbeat reassured her that he was alive and breathing. She found herself falling asleep to it more and more often with the passing adventures and all the times she's witnessed him risking his life.

Here, Lucy couldn't hear his heartbeat, no matter how many times she shifted. It wasn't soothing at all. It was the exact opposite of soothing: disturbing is one word to put it…or at least the nicest word.

"Natsu!" Happy screamed, "Natsu~!"

Lucy found herself tearing back up, "This…this can't…"

"Out of the way!" Porlyusica shouted, shoving Lucy up off his chest as she began to discover what was wrong.

Lucy tried to be patient, but the tears were back and if she thought she was crying earlier, that was nothing to now. The tears flowed and flowed down her cheek and refused to stop. Her aching heart was telling her it was on the verge of breaking. She may have mended it when her mother and father died, but she knew that if he died, it would break and she would not – no, _could_ not mend it. She wouldn't have the will and courage to do so.

The seconds seemed like minutes and the minutes seemed like hours until finally, Porlyusica looked at them. "This child…He's always the one who's pushing himself beyond his limits and trying to do the impossible…as I recall…This is a direct result of his constant overexertion…His magic power is overheating, and an anti-ethernano tumor has developed within him."

Lucy's heart cracked some more, causing intense pain. She kept her eyes glued to Natsu even though he was blurry thanks to her over-flowing tears.

"Anti…what the heck is that?!" Cana asked, trying to get to the point.

"A malignant mass has developed inside his body," Porlyusica explained. "If it is not removed promptly, he will perish."

An anti-ethernano tumor? How on Earthland will that be able to be removed?

Happy spoke her thoughts, "How can something like that inside his body like that be removed?"

"Surgery is the only option. However, there is no doctor capable of this feat on the continent of Ishgar."

Lucy felt even deader as her eyes widened more and she began to tremble. She felt like her body was about to explode. Natsu's death was just assured to her…There is no one on this continent capable to saving him. Even if they try to get him to another doctor across the globe, they've never make it.

Cana was just as frustrated as Lucy was, "What about Wendy's healing powers?! Or Shelia's?!"

"This is far beyond the scope of even those two."

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Lucy shouted, trying to get more information. What if they gave him ethernano to cancel out the anti-ethernano? What if they transferred their own magic energy to him and let his body kill the tumor with it? What if…

"I'm sorry."

At this point, Lucy didn't even know if any of this is real or not. She didn't feel alive…she didn't even feel remotely…well anything!

"Natsu…" Lucy trembled even more. "This can't be happening…Please, answer me…Natsu!"

The silence was dreadful…

"These magic seals…could you remove them for me?"

Lucy spun around and looked at Brandish. She was holding up the seals on her wrist to keep her from using magic. Lucy would feel confused if she didn't feel dead.

"My magic is capable of altering the size of all matter in this world," Brandish continued when no one answered her. "If we can pinpoint the exact location of that tumor, I can shrink it to the point that it will be relegated to nonfactor."

Lucy felt her heart beating again as hope along with her emotions (minus sadness because that was the only one that stayed to haunt her) flooded back into her.

"You can really do that?" Happy trembled. He had just as much tears as she did.

"Please!" Lucy begged, "Save Natsu…I'm begging you!"

Brandish nodded with a small smile as Cana ran over to take the seals off.

Porlyusica shook her head, "No. It's too late. The tumor is already too large; it's already done too much brain damage. Even if you shrink it, he won't wake…"

Brandish bit her lip and sadly nodded understandably.

The emotions, hope, and the beating of her heart that Lucy just received flushed out of her again. Natsu was already dead? No…no…

Lucy screamed as loud as she could, "NATSU! DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!"

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She shot straight up in her bed, flailing and screaming. Her tears streamed down as she clenched the covers beneath her. "NATSU! NATSU! DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN! NATSU!"

"Lucy! Lucy! Calm down!"

Lucy turned to her left and felt someone grab her shoulder. She slapped out hard in front of her and screamed again. Her heart pounded so hard, it threatened to break her rib cages. The person in front of her grabbed both her wrists to keep her from smacking him again.

"Happy, turn the light on!"

The lamp flickered on and she squeezed her eyes shut to keep the light from coming in. She continued to lash out as the grip on her wrists tightened.

"Lucy! Look at me!"

She obeyed and opened her eyes. She saw a blurry image of a man with pink hair and a blue cat next to him. She berried her eyes in her shoulder, since she didn't have control of her hands, and wiped her eyes. She then looked up at the pair again, getting a more clear image.

Both Natsu and Happy were in front of her with panic stricken and worried looks in both of their eyes. Natsu was the one who had a tight hold of her wrists and there was a red handprint on his bare shoulder where she slapped a minute ago. The three of them remained silent as Lucy began to slowly calm down.

It's been a week since the war with Zeref and that moment where Natsu nearly died of cancer keeps haunting her. It could've been that way: Brandish really might've not been able to do anything. It might have been too late, but they were lucky.

Natsu was always flirting with death. He was always putting his life on the line. He always ended victorious, but that doesn't mean he's invincible and that doesn't mean he's not guaranteed the next breath. When she first met him, it scared her, but after a while, she was used to him going past his limits, but that day, Lucy had almost died along with him.

The panting slowed down to normal breathing and the flailing and lashing out stopped. The sweat began to dry and stick her to body and nightgown. A few minutes after she stopped flailing, Natsu's grip on her wrists loosened.

Lucy tore her eyes from her two partners and glanced at the clock: 3:28. She didn't give a crap, she was tired, sweaty, and scared to the bone. She didn't care what time it was, there was no way she was going to go back to sleep! Not after that nightmare! Even if her body was about to pass out, she was pinch herself to stay awake.

Natsu and Happy continued to watch Lucy calm down without saying anything. They didn't need to ask her if she was okay because it was completely obvious that she wasn't. They waited for her to say something as they searched for their own words to say. Lucy beat them to it.

"I'm…going to take a bath…"

She hopped up grabbed a fresh pair of clothes and retreated to the bathroom, ignoring the eyes on her back. The turned the bath water on as hot as she could stand it and got undressed. She wasn't really going to bathe; she just wanted to clear her head and baths always helped her with that. She did, however, wash her face. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and saw that her eyes were bloodshot, her hair was matted against her face, and the tears and sweat where stained to her cheeks. Lucy turned the sink on as hot as she could stand it as well and scrubbed at her face, ignoring the burn.

She put her hair up and sat in the tub, feeling the steam surround her and wash the fear away. She played the scene of her nightmare in the head again and shook her head. It was a nightmare. Natsu isn't dead. It shouldn't affect her this much no matter how much she loves him.

In the bedroom, Natsu and Happy listened to Lucy run the bath water as they glanced at each other in complete worry.

"Natsu…" Happy started.

"I know, Bud."

"I'm afraid to ask her."

"You don't have to," Natsu replied, getting out of bed. "I'll do it. You go back to sleep."

"Will to you tell me tomorrow?" Happy asked, snuggling back under the covers.

"Yeah, of course."

Natsu flipped off the light and walked toward the bathroom door, knocking against it with his callused knuckles.

"What?" Lucy jumped at the noise. She knew they were going to check on her, but she didn't want to talk about it.

"Can I come in?"

"No."

Natsu opened the bathroom door anyway, causing Lucy to squeal.

"Pervert! I said 'no!' as in, 'do _not_ come in here!' " She stood up and reached for a towel, wrapping it around her body.

Natsu walked toward her and sat at the rim of the bathtub, facing his back toward her. "Luce, what was your dream about?"

Lucy sat next to him, facing the opposite way with her feet in the tub. "None of your business."

He laughed rather loudly and turned to face her, "Yeah! Bite me! What was it about?"

Of course it was his business. She was screaming his name in her sleep. How could it _not_ be his business? She woke both him and Happy up with her flailing, screaming, and hysterically cries for him not to leave her again.

Lucy looked at the steaming water and kicked lightly at it, causing a small splash and ripples in it. "It was nothing important…"

"Lucy…"

"I don't wanna talk about it, okay?!"

Natsu sighed, frustrated, "We got all night. You won't be falling back to sleep and I ain't leaving you alone about it until you tell me. If you still refuse, I'll just go read your novel."

Lucy bit her lip, "F-fine then! Read my novel! I don't care!"

"Alright then, I guess I'll go through your underwear drawer as well. I might even take one and show the guild tomorrow."

"You wouldn't dare…"

"Oh, I would dare."

"N-no, you wouldn't!"

"Try me."

He knew her so well.

"Answer me. Why would I leave you?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe to go train in the mountains or something for about a year?"

Natsu cringed, "I came back, didn't I?"

"You could've taken me with you."

"Beyond the point! Just tell me what happened."

Lucy knew that if Natsu wanted something, he was going to get it no matter what. And he wanted to know what happened. If she didn't tell him now, not only will her underwear be shown to the guild, but he'll just keep bothering her until she does. She might as well just give in. "Do you remember, a couple weeks ago, Brandish saved you from an anti-ethernano tumor that would've killed you?"

"Well, yeah. Of course I remember. Happy told me what happened. I passed out without warning and was brought back to the guild where Brandish saved me. What does that have to do with your dream?"

"…You wouldn't believe how panicked and worried I was when Happy came to me crying and begged for help to save you. Porlyusica told me that she couldn't do anything and that you would die, but Brandish offered to help," Lucy kicked at the water again, trying to ignore his eyes on her. "In my dream however, when she offered to help, Porlyusica told me that it was too late…she told me that you were already on your way to death and we couldn't do anything about it."

Natsu remained silent.

"This reminds me of the time when I died – when my future-self died – and you were suffering from it for a while. I remember you had a few nightmares-"

Natsu grabbed her hand and pushed it against his chest. At first she went red and tried to pull it back.

"What are you-"

Then she felt it: his heart. It was beating just like hers was, except maybe it was a little faster, but still. It was beating. He had no idea how comforting it was to hear that thumping noise.

"Lucy, don't cry," Natsu reached up to wipe the tears she didn't know she was shredding away. "I won't leave you again."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

Lucy sniffed and scooted closer as Natsu wrapped his arms around her. He could feel a few tears touching his shoulder but at least she wasn't crying hysterically like earlier. They stayed like that for a while until Lucy stopped crying altogether. Afterwards, she gently shoved him back. "Get out so I can change."

"What's wrong with changing while I'm in here?"

"You idiotic pervert! Get out!"

Natsu laughed and hopped up, "I'm just kidding, Luce!"

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Lucy left the bathroom and looked over toward her bed where Happy and Natsu, who fell back to sleep, lie. She gently smiled before sitting down at her desk and writing a couple chapters of her novel.

She had begun to get immediately bored. After half a chapter, she hit a writer's block and wrote two words every ten minutes. On top of that, she was drifting off to sleep. She pinched herself and sat straight in her chair to keep herself awake, but it didn't help and there was _no way_ she was going back to sleep.

"Lucy…"

Lucy turned around to the pink haired dragon slayer and watched as Natsu rolled over and seemed to hug an invisible figure on her side of the bed. "Lu…cy…" He made a face when he felt nothing there and groaned, hugging himself.

Lucy went red…maybe going back to sleep wasn't a terrible idea after all…

When Lucy snuggled back under the covers, bulky, tan arms met her skin and immediately wrapped around her, causing her to quietly squeal. Natsu smiled and snuggled into Lucy hair, bringing her closer to him. She could feel his chin on her head and she had a red-as-Erza's-hair face. Everywhere Natsu touched was stained with pins and needles. As much as she was in love with him, this was _way_ to close when they weren't together and she wasn't at all confident in her feelings.

Wait, hold on, there was a thumping noise.

Lucy snuggled against Natsu's chest and listened to his heartbeat. She takes it back; she's okay being this close to him. She was drifting on the edge between reality and dreamland, but Lucy didn't want to completely fall to sleep. She was still getting over her previous nightmare and she didn't want to have another one when she falls back to sleep.

Suddenly, Natsu moved his arms to a more comfortable position around her waist and lowered his head to press his lips against her temple.

"Go to sleep…I'll be here when you wake up. I promise…"

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 **Ta-da! I hope you liked it! "Blood" will be finished soon and another chapter of "Ravens and Fairies, Dragons and Princesses" will be up. I promise. (I'll also delete "Trip" soon because the dare is over….) Also, I have another one-shot coming up (oh so many stories…that's a good thing tho!) It's reeeeealy long though! It already has 7 pages and I'm just getting started with it. It's called "Lucy Heartfilia: FanFiction Author". I'll write more of it in between other chapters/stories.**

 **-zEllie**


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